Important nutrients in managing diabetes and kidney disease

Diet is integral in the management kidney diseases and diabetes, and in an event that you have been diagnosed with any of these diseases, it will be important to get to work with a nutritionist to create a healthy eating plan. The major focus of this plan is to help you manage the levels of glucose in your system and to reduce the kidneys work load.

Which nutrients are important in the treatment?

Diet has great impacts on the progression of diabetes and kidney diseases. While managing any of these conditions, it is therefore very imperative to consider and modify your dietary habits. It is difficult to manage any of these two disorders but it is even more catastrophic when trying to manage both at a go.

Together with your dietitian you will go over appropriate times to have meals or snacks. You will get guidelines that will inform you of how much; carbohydrates, protein’s, fats, potassium, phosphorous and sodium you should consume each day. Your diet needs to be lower in these minerals; you will have to learn to limit some of the meals to minimum. With this you will also have to go over how to calculate exact portions meant for serving. A dietitian can also help you fashion a plan that meets you requirements.

  1. Carbohydrates

Keep in mind that you will need to pay attention to the amount of carbohydrates (sugars) that you consume. You have to plan all your meals with regards to the amount of carbohydrates you take. It is important to keep in mind the amount of carbohydrates you should take and stick to the requirements. These can be found in many types of food such as fruits, milk, deserts and different drinks.

  1. Potassium

Potassium is essential in helping the muscles work efficiently. It is also important in the hearts pumping activity. This therefore means that for proper health of your heart and muscles, you need potassium at optimum levels in your body.  Potassium is excreted by the kidneys and in case of kidney failure, levels of potassium should always be monitored to avoid hyperkalemia

  1. Phosphorus

When you ask your dietitian, the answer will be yes, phosphorus is a compound available in dairy products like milk, cheese and meat. It is used by the body to ensure strong bones and teeth. However, excessive phosphorus is associated with bone destruction and thus it should be taken in the right amounts. In chronic kidney diseases, there is inadequate excretion of phosphorus and intake must be controlled.

  1. Sodium

Sodium, commonly found in table salt remains an important part of the diet. As much as it is almost always present in our meals, restricting sodium use lowers the incidences of blood pressure and fluid retention.  All this you will get to go through with your dietician and in case you want a type of food product, ask your dietitian first and make sure you know what the recommended serving size is.